Quick Links
FromIt Takes TwotoStardew Valley, co-op modes in games can get your competitive spirit up or help you bond with your partner as you get immersed in the game. While co-op games are all the rage, not all of them can be played with the mobile device you use everyday.
These eight games, many of which are available on PC and consoles, also have mobile versions that make gaming with your friends easier. Here’s all you need to know.
1Sky: Children of the Light
Sky: Child of the Light(iOS,Android) is an online, multiplayer puzzle adventure game that focuses on social elements. This peaceful, visually stunning game is set in a once-prosperous kingdom against the backdrop of seven realms. With the help of a cape that allows you to fly, you explore these realms, leveling up as you encounter spirits along the way. As you earn in-game currency (Candles) with these meetings, you also come across “children of light” who give you winged light that lets you fly farther with the cape.
Sky’sthemes center around the different stages of life, with the game’s peaceful animation and in-game cosmetic items (instruments, capes, and accessories) setting you up for a long journey. As you meet different, real players in the game, you’re able to unlock new abilities and send gifts. While local co-op is not supported, you can play with up to seven other players with online co-op.
Originally released for iOS,Skywas Apple’s 2019 iPhone Game of the Year. It is also available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Windows.
2Unruly Heroes
Inspired by the mythological novelJourney to the West,Unruly Heroes(iOS,Android) is a 2D platform adventure game with 29,Donkey Kong County-style levels. This light-hearted game features character-specific statues, platform levels, branch levels for extra rewards, and a combo-based battle system.
You can switch between four main characters (Kihong, Sanzang, Wukong, and Sandmonk)- which inlcude a master and three disciples- and take advantage of their unique skills, from gliding and jumping to abilities that activate with special statuses. As you progress, you solve puzzles, fight demons, and collect loot.
Unruly Heroescan be played as a single-player adventure, or in multiplayer mode (up to four players). You can also use the local or online Player versus Player mode. The game’s character design and art style will keep you hooked throughout its levels.Unruly Heroesis available on Nintendo Switch, Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
3Terraria
One of the most famous sandbox games of all time,Terraria(iOS,Android) is a 2D action adventure game with no set goals that revolves around exploration, survival, and building. When you startTerraria, you build your player character and set the game difficulty, after which you may explore the game’s world, fight enemies and bosses, mine, make equipment, and collect resources.
The mobile version supports gamepads and customizable controls for better gameplay. There are more than 400 enemies to fight, 5000+ items to collect, and 20+ NPCs to meet in the game. The game’s multiplayer mode lets you play with seven other people, local and online.
Terrariahas sold more than 64 million copies, and is one of the best-selling games of all time. A sequel,Terraria 2, is still in the works after its announcement in 2013.
4Soul Knight
Soul Knight(iOS,Android) is a pixelated dungeon adventure game that offers a variety of heroes, weapons, and dungeons to choose from. The free game features alien minions, supernatural elements, and magic, and you can choose from a set of more than 20 heroes to play (including elves, magicians, and a rogue).Soul Knight’sweapons are where you can have the most fun, since the armory of 400+ weapons, ranging from guns to shovels and swords, never seems to run out.
Randomly generated dungeons mean you come across a variety of creatures to tackle, and interesting NPCs to meet as you progress.Soul Knightfeatures different game modes, so you can go for a strategy-intensive, tower defense play or a fight-focused battle mode. With the online co-op mode, you can play multiplayer adventures with friends. The game also supports a LAN party, if you want to play offline.
Developed by the indie game studio, ChillyRoom,Soul Knight’sintuitive controls and smooth gameplay make it a worthwhile download if you want an adventure co-op option. The game’s regular updates bring new heroes and weapons to your arsenal.
5Dual!
If you’re an avid air hockey player but don’t want to drop by the arcade every time your competitive spirit is riled up,Dual!(iOS,Android) is the best co-op game for you. This local multiplayer game lets you and another player use your mobile devices to battle or play as a team.Dual!has three modes (Duel, Deflect, and Defend), each requiring you to tilt your phone to move your virtual puck to shoot balls and defend against bullets. The ball bounces between your screen and your game partner’s in real-time, whether you’re playing with each other in cooperative mode or against each other in battles.
Dual!has a one-time purchase ($2.99) that unlocks the full game (Defend and Deflect are not available in the free version), with only one player required to make the purchase.
6Badland
Badland(iOS,Android) is an Apple Design Award-winning action-adventure game. With side-scrolling, physics-based gameplay, and stunning graphics and visuals, the game is set in a forest filled with gorgeous plants and inhabitants. But something is off about this fairytale forest, and as a (cute) black creature named Clony, you have to figure out what’s going on. Every day in the game, you navigate four stages (Dawn, Noon, Dusk, and Night), which come with their own set of color schemes and themed traps.
Badlandsupports single-player with more than 100 levels and local multiplayer “versus” mode (up to four players) on the same device with 30+ levels. The co-op mode, which can support up to four players, features a modified version of the single-player campaign. The game features a level editor, which allows players to create and play levels independently.Badlandhas received praise for its quirky art style and smooth gameplay.
A sequel to the game,Badland 2, is also available for iOS and Android. A Game of the Year Edition ofBadlandis available to play on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo Switch, Wii U, Xbox One, and Steam for Linux, Windows, and OS X.
7BombSquad
BombSquad(Android) is a collection of mini-games that you can play with multiple players, ranging from capture-the-flag and bomber hockey to King-of-the-Hill. The objective is simple: blow up your friends (or the computer, if you’re playing solo) with different bombs that vary with the mini-game. The game’s rag-doll physics make gameplay particularly fun, especially when you’re playing with someone, since outcomes are often hilariously unpredictable.
BombSquadsupports up to eight players in multiplayer mode, and can be played with USB gamepads, Wiimotes, PS3 controllers, and Xbox 360 controllers. It’s also a good party game to set up when you have guests over for a chaotic game night.
WhileBombSquadis not available to play directly on an iPhone, you’re able to download theBombSquadRemote app to use your iPhone (or iPad) as a controller while playing the free game on your Mac.
8Human: Fall Flat
If you love puzzles and some humour in your games, tryHuman: Fall Flat(iOS,Android). This physics-based, open-ended puzzle game lets you play a customizable, minimalist wobbly human (Bob). Each level offers different themes and multiple solutions to puzzles. You get instructions with every level, so you can learn the gameplay as you progress.
Human: Fall Flatwas originally released for Windows, macOS, and Linux in 2016, eventually receiving ports for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and iOS and Android. In 2017, the game launched its online multiplayer mode (which boosted sales for the game), allowing you to play solo and with company (up to four players on mobile using the online multiplayer mode). You can also use a local multiplayer mode for co-op with a two-player split-screen.
A sequel to the game,Human: Fall Flat 2, is in the works.
Planning to host your friends or family for a game night? You cantry free party gamesthat only require your mobile devices (some of these can be played with your long-distance friends, too) for a cozy yet chaotic night in.
